Zelda: Rebirth of the Goddess (A Skyward Sword Retelling)
by t0meable
Summary: A retelling of Skyward Sword from Zelda's perspective. Zelda's relaxation time leading up to the Wing Ceremony is perturbed when she hears a ghostly voice calling out her name from beneath the clouds. Her excitement for the coming event is replaced with foreboding, as she stands on the verge of being forced into a great, yet incredibly difficult, adventure.
1. Chapter 1 - Legend of the Goddess

Chapter One - The Legend of the Goddess

Everything felt unusually quiet that evening.

Clouds drifted lazily below whilst the breeze blew softly through Zelda's stunning golden hair. The sky was a watercolour mess of pinks and reds as the sun began to settle itself down over the horizon. The usual sounds of the training and bickering of knights were replaced with the calming fluttering of flags and bunting. It was the perfect evening for a celebratory relaxation session before the hectic "Wing Ceremony" that would take place around Skyloft tomorrow.

Zelda was sitting on one of the luscious green bank of Skyloft's lake, leaning up against the trunk of a tree. She was partially in the shade of the immense statue of the goddess Hylia that watched over the mystical suspended islands. She could finally relax, now all of her preparation for tomorrows festivities were finished. Both of her knees were brought up to her chest loosely, as she watched Kukiel playing with her Loftwing further down the bank. Kukiel was a short girl, dressed in a warm red dress with her hair tied up in a skyward-pointing ponytail. She was frolicing happily around the gigantic blue bird that was Zelda's Loftwing, singing the nonsense songs that only kids who usually play alone sing. The girl was an almost uncontrollable bundle of kindness. Affection practically seeped out of her, to a somewhat uncomfortable level. Her lack of prejudices meant she would be easy to lead astray, but Zelda pushed these thoughts from her mind. There was nobody on Skyloft who would hurt Kukiel, so why couldn't she be so trusting?

She distracted herself with thoughts of Link, her childhood friend. He was one of the Knights-in-training that would be participating in the Wing Ceremony. He was skilled, brilliant atop his bird and incredibly strong for his rather petite frame. Unfortunately he was also lazy. Sleeping in every day, drifting around daydreaming with his magnificently rare crimson Loftwing and slacking with his studies. Some tinges of worry wriggled their way into Zelda's mind as she though of him. What if he failed? Surely that would destroy him, especially if that bully Groose or one of this cronies graduated and he didn't. She decided she would wake Link up early tomorrow, to make sure he's ready to crush the exam. Plus, she intended on showing off the clothes she would be wearing for the ceremony, after working on them so hard. That last thought made her blush a little.

Kukiel seemed to finish whatever incomprehensible game she was playing with the Loftwing and ran over to Zelda. The Loftwing didn't follow, but instead collapsed into a comfortable pile on the floor, apparently exhausted from playing. The girl giggled as she plonked herself on the grass, looking sleepily at the sky.

"Tired, Kukiel?" Zelda lent over to Kukiel with a soft smile on her face.

"Nope!" Kukiel claimed boldly, fighting her drooping eyelids, "I could stay up for ages."

Zelda let out a small laugh, "I think it's time you went home, I don't want Wyrna to worry."

Kukiel pouted slightly, "Mum won't worry if I just stay out a little longer. Maybe a story amount of time longer?" She added with a cheeky smile.

Zelda let out a sigh, as she brushed her bangs dramatically from her forehead, "And who would be telling this story? I might be too tired to tell any stories."

"C'mon Zelda," Kukiel pleaded, "Just one, it doesn't have to be long. Just one of those cool ones, with the dragons and the battles!"

"Surely your mother can tell you your bedtimes stories," Zelda said, "Anyway, those aren't very happy stories."

"Mum only tells me boring stories," Kukiel moaned, "About traditions and moralsand stuff. Never about the exciting stuff. Never about… _the surface."_

Zelda kicked out her legs in front of her and crossed them, leaning her weight on her hands behind her. She knew the story Kukiel wanted to hear. No-one her aged she had asked knew how much truth there was to this story. The one about the great battle, the fissure that spat out malice and the great evil known as Demise. It was likely if she didn't tell Kukiel, she would probably just go to Link. So, she went through the story in her head, cleaning it up slightly as to not scare the child.

"I'll tell you about the legend of the birth of Skyloft, if you promise to be good and go to bed with no complaints when Wyrna tells you," Zelda said, "Okay?"

Kukiel nodded feverishly, "I promise!"

Zelda took a deep breath before speaking, "Thousands of years ago, when the beautiful goddess Hylia still wandered among us, and the earth was one gigantic mass, there was a battle of an unprecedented scale. The ground broke open and scary monsters broke out, burning forests and drying up lakes, trying to get at the goddesses _Ultimate Power_. This power eclipsed all others, and would give the monsters terrible potential."

Kukiel had gone still, eyes wide with engagement as Zelda described the battles, taking out the graphic details, and inserting in a little of her own flavour. Even the blue Loftwing had raised its head in attention to the story.

"To keep both her people, and the great power safe, she gathered everyone up on an outcropping of land. She used her astounding power to separate the outcropping and fire it into the sky, beyond the reach of any evil. That land was named Skyloft, and Hylia's people were kept safe forever. However, Hylia had to stay behind with her chosen hero, giving up her immortal place among her people."

Zelda wrapped her arm around Kukiel playfully, taking her by surprise, "And we, as her people, celebrate the goddess in all ways we can, since without her, everything that is could be stepped in darkness."

"Whoa," Kukiel said, "Hylia sounds so cool."

"Some say she'll come back some day, through another form," Zelda said, looking towards the darkening sky as the sun set, "When we need her most."

Kukiel was staring dreamily towards the towering statue of Hylia, her head resting on Zelda. It was obvious her mind was racing with fantastic adventures of all kinds. The Loftwing nestled its head back in between its wings, letting out a soft, sleepy chirp.

"Now, you've had your story, time to go home!" Zelda said, standing up and causing Kukiel to fall back onto the grass.

"Okay…" Kukiel said as she slowly dragged herself to her feet, "I can't wait to tell my new friend about that story, he'll love it."

Zelda hoped that somehow her telling of that story to young Kukiel wouldn't come back around to bite her, but she couldn't see why it would. She walked the girl home, exchanging pleasantries with Kukiel's parents before heading back to her room. As she stood atop the bridge that joined the Academy island to the main island, she stopped. She was completely mesmerized by the beautiful town where she lived. There was a sense of wonder that never left no matter how many times she stood on this bridge. Floating miles above the constantly cascading sea of clouds beneath them, Skyloft was truly a place free from evil.

As she was about to continue home, something caught Zelda's ear. A voice drifted across the silent islands. An unfamiliar voice. Calling her name.

"Hello?" Zelda softly spoke into the sunset breeze. However, it was only silence that answered her. As she continued back to her bedroom, as she got changed and got into bed, she heard nothing else. Her mind fixated on a particular thought.

Everything felt unusually quiet that evening


	2. Chapter 2 - Pep Talks

Chapter Two - Pep Talks

The harp her father gave her that morning made a sound unlike any instrument Zelda had ever played. The pure majesty of the thing amplified her somewhat mediocre skills into a beautiful ballad every time she played it. From the moment she set her eyes on it, after it had been carefully taken out of an ornamental dark cyan chest, she knew it was was no ordinary thing. She plucked the strings gently, harmonizing her voice with the tune and allowing her body to sway rhythmically along. It was as if this instrument was made for her. She felt more connected to Hylia, the statue of whom she was currently under, when she was playing the harp than at any other time. Her previous doubts and fears were washed away, as she well knew they would be. Music always killed her nerves.

Various multicolored Loftwings from around Skyloft circled in the fresh morning air above her, spiraling around the stone statue. She could just about spot her own sky blue Loftwing begin to dive down towards her from an immense altitude. The song stopped briefly, as Zelda took out large brown letter. It was a friendly reminder for her forgetful friend about their planned meeting this morning, here in the shrine garden. Link probably wouldn't be happy with her methods of calling to him, and would therefore take his sweet time coming over. She could see him now, stopping to talk to everyone he meets, helping out with any little jobs the academy residents were too lazy to do themselves. Like Kukiel, Link was at risk of being taken advantage of for his kindness.

A large bellow of wind battered Zelda as the Loftwing beat its wings to land. The bird gulped the envelope into its mouth, and took off towards the main academy building. Originally Zelda had planned on telling Link about the strange voice she heard last night, but had decided it would be best left until after the ceremony is over. Her paranoia was not worth ruining one of the biggest events in Links life. She knew that he'd worry too much. He'd probably drop everything and swear to find whatever it was that was bothering her and wipe it from existence. He loved playing the hero, even when they were kids.

She was smiling to herself when it happened again. A distant voice. Calling for her. She spun to where the voice was coming from, but there was nothing but grass, flowers and peaceful sky. Her heartbeat became a stampede and her breath was caught in her throat. Stood in silence her thoughts were overcome with fear. Was she going crazy? The disembodied ethereal voice inspired images of dark things in Zelda's mind. Shadowy, twisted monsters with pig faces and sharp weapons. Some had ragged claws and wings, whilst others had exposed skulls and multiple heads. She had no clue where these flashes were coming from, this was worse than last time. The overload of terrifying thoughts was suffocating her. She began to strum the harp again, not as smoothly or as gently as before, but instead with the intent to fill the void of silence.

She firmly decided she didn't hear anything, the anxious thoughts running though her mind were playing tricks on her. Monsters like that no longer existed. Even if they did, they would be confined to the surface world, miles and miles away from Skyloft. She was safe. After a few minutes, she regained her rhythm and voice. She couldn't afford to not be at the top of her game today. Today was the Wing Ceremony, and that required her full attention.

She was waiting around half an hour, mentally fleeing from the demons in her mind, with no sign of Link. She was becoming slightly frustrated, this was bad even for him. She began to sing one of her favorite hymns, once she was back to being lost in her music.

_Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess…_

_Unite earth and sky…_

_Bring light to the land…_

A sudden sound cause Zelda to spin towards the entrance to the shrine gardens. Standing there, looking rather aware of his tardiness, was Link. The anger that was building up in her dispersed immediately upon locking eyes with him. With her repressed troubles, just seeing his slightly guilty yet relaxed expression eased her heart.

"Hey! Good Morning, Link." She let out, with an unintended giggle, " I'm glad my Loftwing managed to wake you up. I was pretty sure you'd sleep in and forget to meet me this morning."

Link smiled, waved his greeting and walked over to her. Zelda held the harp close to her, cradling it like a child. Even though he was just out of bed, Link looked worn out. He showed the telltale signs that someone had sweet-talked him into helping with their chores on the way here. Zelda supposed she could forgive him for being late.

She thrust the harp out towards Link, "Anyway, look at this! And my outfit! They're mind to use today for the ceremony, since I'll be playing the roll of the Goddess. Aren't they beautiful? Especially this harp… They tell me it's just like the one the goddess was said to have in the legends."

Zelda could feel her excitement bubbling up the more she talked, especially when seeing Links eyes widening upon closer inspection of the intricate harp.

"And these clothes! I made the wrap myself, and we get to use it in today's ceremony!" Zelda beamed, "with all this, I should make a great goddess, for today. I wanted to meet you here early because I wanted you to be the first to see me like this!"

Zelda performed an exaggerated twirl, "Soo… how do I look?"

Link looked back at her with a grin spreading across his face, "you look great!" he said, earnestly.

Zelda cocked her head and gave him a genuine warm smile, "I think so too, but it's nice to know you agree. Thanks, Link."

Looking past Link, she could see her father strolling up the shrine steps. Her father was a large man, with incredibly distinctive (and embarrassing) eyebrows. Although slightly goofy in his styling, he gave off an aura of unmatched authority on the island. This was appropriate as he was also the Headmaster of the Knights Academy. Upon approaching, Link dropped his hands-on-hips power pose and adopted a more humble look. This was most likely due to his careless lack of training for the Wing Ceremony, Zelda thought to herself. It would probably do Link some good to be scolded by the Headmaster, maybe kick him into gear.

However, the her father instead approached her, "I trust you are prepared for today's ceremonies, Zelda?" he said, "your role is vital in the upcoming proceedings, and it would be a shame if you were not duly ready."

To the untrained ear it would sound as if he was showing a lack of faith in his daughter. Zelda pouted, knowing that instead he was allowing his overprotective tendencies to bleed through. He didn't want to accept the idea of her "little girl" growing up and performing in an event with so much significance in their island culture. It was sweet, in a way, but it was also incredibly frustrating. She already got enough flack from the other girls at the academy for being the Headmasters pride and joy, she didn't need him making it worse by coddling her.

Sensing Zelda's cold reaction to his words, her father turned to Link, "Ahh, I'm sure you have been training hard, eh Link? I look forward to seeing you and that magnificent crimson Loftwing flying today," the Headmaster moved closer to Link, towering over him, "keep in mind that the winner of this competition will be a part of a ritual that includes being alone with my daughter."

Zelda could feel a sly smile taking root on her face as Link's head shrunk between his shoulders. Her father cut an extremely intimidating figure when up close like this. What made it more amusing to her was how much she knew her father adored Link, both as a student and a person. Her fathers words had also reminded Zelda of the special ritual she was instructed to perform atop the goddess statue. One that she may have to spend with _Groose_ if Link didn't get his act together. That thought pushed a button of panic in her heart.

"Father," Zelda suddenly cut in, "I don't think Link can do it."

The two men turned simultaneously, in surprise, towards her.

"He hasn't been practicing much at all! Even when he is out riding his Loftwing he's just lazily gliding around," Zelda continued, "I don't know what exactly he thinks is going to happen out there, but he needs to have perfect control of that beast to win! If he isn't careful the other students will snatch victory from under him!"

She stood her ground firmly, chin up and shoulders back. This was when he father would surely give Link a rousing speech, teacher to student, that would stir his courage and drive. Her father took a step towards her, his facial expression softening. Her hopes were dashed.

"No need to worry yourself, Zelda," he said, "While, yes, you have a point about the difficulty involved in claiming victorious in this ceremony, Link is a special case. It will not be an easy feat by any means, for any knight in training, but he has a bond like no other with that bird of his."

Oh no, Zelda thought, Link didn't need a pointless ego boost now. She tried to cut in, but her father spoke over her.

"You've known him since he was little, as you also know each of us in Skyloft is but half of a pair. As children, a connection is formed when the goddess bestows one of her guardian birds upon each of us as a sign of her divine protection. This event is special for everyone, but was extraordinary for Link."

Zelda knew he was correct. While she loved her dear blue Loftwing more than she could describe, Link's was something else entirely. It was wilder, faster and the red blur it became in the sky looked like a meteor. On the day the thought-to-be extinct red bird gracefully departed the skies to meet him, Link jumped on and took off without any instruction. When the two flew together it was as if they shared one mind.

"If I recall correctly, you were quite jealous of him. You would talk about their teamwork all the time, of how you wanted to be more like him, " her father finished, pointing a chubby finger at Link.

Link wore a small smile and brought his hand to the back of his head as his eyes met with Zelda. She returned his look with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. This confrontation went the opposite way she had expected, and now it felt that she was the one being attacked. Link had let his gaze on Zelda go, and was searching the skies, presumably for his flying friend.

"T-that isn't…" Zelda managed to stammer out, keeping her cool.

"Ah, but who can blame you?" Her father said, cutting her off once again, "I'm sure you weren't the only one envious of the powerful bond they shared. Anyone part of a pairing so special is bond to catch some nasty looks sooner or later."

The headmaster let out a hearty laugh to himself. He was very much on Zelda's nerves right now. The problem was, is that everything the Headmaster said was true. She had been burning with both jealousy and admiration for Link when she was a child. Much of those feelings still kindled inside her.

"This is no time for laughter, father," she said, pointing an assertive finger at him, "If Link doesn't take this situation seriously, he could lose out on his chance to become a knight!"

She glanced over at Link, who was still staring up at the sky. It was like he wasn't even paying attention to them. The frustration boiling within Zelda started to overflow.

"That's it!" Zelda said, "Listen Link, you better fly your heart out today! At the very least you should be practicing."

Link lowered his gaze to the rapidly approaching Zelda, "But, I can't sense my bird…"

Zelda balked at the look on his face, "you aren't getting out of it that easily. You have to take this seriously for once."

She started pushing him from behind, digging her fingertips into his sides and moving him towards the edge of the garden. She was aiming for the gap in the garden wall, which led to a small, arched wooden dock. These tiny docks were spotted all around the lush, emerald islands that made up Skyloft. Ever since she was young, Zelda had watched the Knights diving off of these docks into the colossal mass of clouds below, letting out a high pitched whistle as they fell. As their figures got smaller and smaller, they would collide with the brightly colored, magnificent birds known as Loftwings. Young Zelda would hang tightly onto the wooden railings, eyes wide and mouth hanging open, as the defenders of Skyloft would perform dazzling maneuvers in tandem.

She had a smile on her face, as she childishly tickled and jabbed at her friend forcing him towards the drop. Every time he'd turn around to face her, she would duck below his line of sight, and reappear on the opposite shoulder, spurring him on with words of encouragement.

"You aren't fooling me!" Zelda said, as Link claimed again his bird couldn't be sensed, "A Loftwing never refuses the call of their master! Plus, I'm sure your Loftwing can't wait to train with you, after such laziness its probably dying for a more strict regiment. Now off you go!"

Zelda gave a hard shove to Link's chest as he turned fully to face her. He shouted something unintelligible as he fell from the dock, hands flailing comically. Her father joined her on the dock, a small chuckle escaping his lips. They both leaned forward to watch Link catch his bird.

They saw him becoming smaller and smaller, and a loud whistle pierced the air.

A terrible feeling crept into Zelda's mind, "something isn't right…"

Link continued to fall. Realization dawned on her. Maybe… he wasn't trying to weasel out of practice. Maybe he really couldn't sense his bird. He was almost a spec, so far down it was getting hard to make him out. Zelda and her father looked at each other, wide-eyed.

She had just pushed her friend to his death.

Zelda dove after him.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Search

Chapter Three - The Search

A loud whistle punctured the sleepy morning silence of Skyloft, as Zelda blew hard onto her fingers

"I can't believe I could be so stupid!" Zelda muttered under her breath as she rocketed down towards the cloud barrier. She positioned her body into a spear shape, hands forming a cutting V ahead of her, attempting to catch up to the now frantically flailing Link. He was looking up at her desperately, clawing at the air in an attempt to get closer. She could sense her Loftwing dive-bombing behind her, trying to catch up.

The bird strained to pull along side her, the decorative rope around its thick neck flapping in the intense wind. Zelda grabbed it with one arm, pulling tightly as the pair approached Link. The cloud barrier was painfully close now. If he were to disappear beyond that curtain of mist, he would never be seen again, swallowed by the unknown. Zelda couldn't let that happen, so she forced her bird to push on with a directional spur to the behind. She would apologize to the Loftwing later.

Link tried to flatten himself out, in order to catch more wind and slow his own descent. As the large bird drew close, Zelda pulled hard on the neck rope. The Loftwing's head suddenly shot upwards, spreading its wings wide to change direction. Its two sets of large yellow claws snapped Link within them. Both the bird and the boy let out little whimpers during this harsh movement, but it wasn't over yet. Now grouped together, the three of them were still falling much too fast. Zelda pulled back further, shifting her weight towards the rear of the bird, causing it to fly in a blindingly fast arc. If the company were to pull straight back upwards again after grabbing him, the sudden change in force would likely rupture all of Link's internal organs. Zelda wished to avoid that. Bringing a dead Link back to the wing ceremony would do as much good as just letting him vanish into the clouds.

The wide arc Zelda led them on brought them so close to the barrier that Link's face was momentarily dunked underneath. She could here faint shouts of protest from beneath her but she ignored them. Finally she began on the upward swing, decreasing their speed and signaling for the Loftwing to begin flapping its wings. Once completely out of danger she let out a long and loud sigh, relaxing her tightly wound muscles.

They managed to bring themselves up to the same dock they dived from, where the headmaster stood waiting. The three of them soared over his head and crashed into the ground close behind him. Zelda and Link were sent rolling on the ground a few feet away from the collapsed beast. Their synchronized tumble came to a stop with them lying down, facing one another. They were both panting heavily and terribly windswept. Zelda braced herself as she looked at him, limbs sprawled out on the garden grass. She had never accidentally attempted to murder a friend before, and was unsure of how he would react.

Link simply sat upright, "I need to find my Loftwing," he said defiantly.

"Yes," her father agreed, "it is unheard of for a Loftwing not to answer the call of its master."

At the mention of Loftwings, Zelda ran over to her downed bird. It was completely limp, breathing hard and letting out tiny soft squawks with each exhalation. It was completely exhausted. She knelt down beside it, running her hands along its wings. She could feel the tension in its muscles, but the bird gave no negative reactions to her touch. Zelda sighed in relief, that most likely meant nothing was broken or too dangerously strained.

"When you said you couldn't sense your Loftwing," Zelda said softly, not looking at Link, "I should have believed you… I'm sorry."

Zelda turned, expecting a torrent of outrage from Link. What she was greeted with, instead, was a smile. It was a stressed smile, one of somebody quite shook up from a recent event, but a smile all the same. Her anxiety was washed away.

"It's okay, Zelda," Link reassured.

"I-I need to tend to my Loftwing, but I'll catch up with you," Zelda said, stroking the beak of her bird, "You'd better go on ahead and see if you can find any clue as to where your bird is-!"

Her words were interrupted by the clanging of the giant academy bell, which hung in a floral arch over the front entrance to the building. The days festivities wouldn't be too long away now.

"My, the time for the ceremony is fast approaching," her father said, "If I recall correctly, it would be Instructor Horwell presiding over the ceremony this year, correct?"

Both Zelda and Link nodded.

"Link, you should go to him straight away and alert him to your current predicament," her father instructed, "Tell him to delay the start of the ceremony for as long as he can."

"But wont he just come to ask you?" Zelda said, giggling, "You are the headmaster, father."

"Ah… yes," he stuttered, stroking his mustache, "Of course. Excellent point as always. In which case, Link, go and tell Horwell to meet me in my office and I shall sort things out. Ask around about your Loftwing, a unique bird such as that can't have disappeared without a trace."

"Yes, sir." Link nodded, bolting off through the old, cracked entrance.

"Will you two be alright here?" her father said once Link's head had bobbed out of view.

"Yes father, it seems my Loftwing is just tired." Zelda said, as the bird gazed at her with its giant green eyes.

"I mean yourself, Zelda, that was an intense fall-"

"I'm fine father, now please go talk to Instructor Horwell and buy us the time we need to help Link!" she pointed a firm finger at her father.

He smiled, "you really do become a different person when you worry about Link, don't you?" Before Zelda could retort he continued, "I will make sure Link does not miss the ceremony, do not worry."

Zelda sighed, "thank you, father."

The large, bald man strode down the stairs to the shrine, red cloak billowing in his stead. Zelda was alone again under the visage of Hylia. She allowed a few more minutes of stroking her bird, calming herself, before she would join in the search. She checked her ceremonial garb, making sure she hadn't ruined anything at the last second, and got up. Her bird made to follow her, but she ordered it to rest a bit more.

She performed a quick check of the shrine itself, circling the giant statue and searching for any signs of the bird. What she was most worried of was the Loftwing getting knocked out or badly injured somewhere on one of the thousand other Skyloft islands that dotted the surrounding skies. Or, goddess forbid, it fell down through the barrier. After finding no clues, she performed a final quick check on her bird's health and left the shrine.

Skyloft made a scene that was the diametric opposite of yesterday evening. It seemed every resident was out and about, bustling with excitement. She could see Kukiel's father, Jakamar, sporting his large black pompadour and hammering away at the broken gate to the bazaar. Across the bridge, the short man with giant eyes who ran the fortune telling stand, was carrying a large pile of fresh colorful carpets to his stall. Several academy students were moving and chatting excitedly down towards the combat training building. There was no sign of a crimson red Loftwing.

She ran across the bridge, waving a hello to Jakamar as she darted past, aiming towards the main plaza. Once on the other side she jumped over a stone railing, skipping a set of stairs, landing opposite the shimmering waterfall lake. She bustled down the adjacent busy corridor of faded red and blue houses, dodging playing children and people carrying baskets piled up with clothes. She poked her head between the groups of people, occasionally asking if anyone had seen a lost red Loftwing. The wide open plaza was in view ahead of her, where most of the crowds would be gathering soon. Standing in the center she could see Link standing awkwardly, surrounded by three men.

"Oh for… Not those guys," Zelda murmured.

Standing in the center of the group of three was the muscular brute known as Groose. He was the most easily identifiable due to the ridiculous, two-foot high, bright red and spiky pompadour that wobbled awkwardly on his head. It was his most proud feature, in fact he was currently gesturing furiously at it. Link had probably said something snarky, poking at the delicate eggshell that was Groose's ego. It was most likely in self defense, but Link's attitude could get him a serious beat-down if Zelda didn't step in soon.

Flanking Groose were his two most loyal cronies, Cawlin and Strich. While Cawlin was short and chubby, Strich was tall and thin. Seemingly devoid of any mental faculties themselves, they followed Groose around like baby ducklings. They teased who Groose felt like teasing, laughed at whatever Groose found funny and punched whoever got on Groose's bad side. Together they were too much for Link to handle, alone and unarmed. Zelda hurried onwards.

"Would you wake up, straighten up and grow a backbone already?" Groose shouted in Links face, his own twisted in a condescending sneer, "dopes like you are dragging our honored academy through the mud!"

"And who exactly would you be talking about, Groose?" Zelda had just arrived at the group, striking an intimidating pose. She knew the only way to deal with men of their type was with assertion. If she showed any weakness at all, these morons would walk all over her.

All four men turned in shock, with only Link giving her a grin. Groose managed to stammer out a few nonsense words before Zelda continued.

"Don't even try to hide it, Groose," she approached him fast, pointing at his large forehead, "you three were picking on Link again weren't you! He is a student here at the academy like the rest of us, so why do you insist on bullying him so much?"

"I-I mean… um…" Groose had gone bright red as he stuttered. He couldn't handle the long, intense glare he was on the receiving end of. His wing-men were both still, unsure what to do when a girl half their leader's size left him speechless.

"You mean what?" Zelda said.

"I mean that… you're… um…"

Frustration was boiling up in Zelda once again. She was fully aware of Groose's long standing schoolboy crush and didn't appreciate the way he dreamily stared at her. She remained standing her ground, not letting an inch of her discomfort show on her face.

"Psssht, whatever. I didn't mean anything alright?" Groose blurted out, turning towards his gang. He pushed past them, moving towards the plaza's diving dock. By the time he reached it, he had regained his composure and cocky demeanor.

"What was that about?" Link whispered to Zelda, after the group were far enough away. She hadn't expected him to clue in on why Groose gave in, he was rather inept at reading people.

"It doesn't matter," she whispered back.

At the end of the wooden dock, the gang turned dramatically in unison. Groose began shouting something, that they were too far away to here properly, before jumping backwards off the island. A few seconds later the groups three Loftwings rocketed up over the edge and flew close overhead.

"They definitely had something to do with this," Link said, watching them disappear over the top the bazaar.

"I'd hate to think it, but I'm inclined to agree with you," Zelda sighed, "Those guys aren't going to help us find your Loftwing, so we'd better get back to looking. You should continue to search Skyloft, since you're grounded right now. I'll search some of the neighboring islands."

Link nodded. With that, Zelda ran to the dock, whistling for her Loftwing. By this point it should have had enough rest to handle some gentle flying around the area. She waited until she could sense the bird getting closer before she would jump off.

She turned back to Link, "don't worry, we will find your bird in time."

He gave her a reassuring half-smile before she dived off the dock. Once caught onto her bird, she flew back upwards, high above Skyloft. Far below her she could still see Link, standing alone in the plaza. As he got smaller and smaller Zelda felt a small pinch of sadness. He looked almost like a lost child, similar to the day she first met him. When he was brought onto the academy island by a group of knights, surrounded by crying mothers and fathers. Under the dark, torch-lit observation tower Zelda could only remember seeing the loss in his young eyes. He had lost his family then, he felt he was at risk of losing his family now.

"I mean it, Link," Zelda said to herself, "I will find that bird."

The two of them searched for hours. She flew to all of the neighboring islands, all the way out the the Lumpy Pumpkin, but nobody had seen the Loftwing since yesterday. She wanted to check further out, but she didn't want to push her bird too far. After a lengthy, yet unsuccessful, interview with a strange man attacking bamboo in a cave, she decided to regroup with Link.

Coasting over Skyloft, Zelda scanned the town for signs of a dirty blond head running around. After a few minutes of searching she seemed to have now lost him, too. Assuming he was investigating inside somewhere, Zelda pulled her bird up outside the academy front door. Her feet had barely touched solid ground before a duo of young men burst out of the building shouting.

"I knew it was you!" Pipit shouted. He was the most recent graduate of the knights academy, thus he was dressed in a bright yellow tunic and hat. Behind him was Fledge, a meek kid who struggled a lot in school. In fact, Zelda remembered, he'd failed to qualify for the wing ceremony this year.

"You're looking for Link, right?" Fledge said softly, "y-you're helping him look for his Loftwing."

"Yes, why?" Zelda said, "What's happened?"

"Link's gone into the boarded off cave by the waterfall," Pipit answered, "On his own."

"What?," Zelda's eyes went wide, "The one packed full of chu-chus and keese? Why didn't you stop him?"

"We didn't know he was going in there!" Pipit promised, "We just told him about where Groose hid his Loftwing. I thought he'd just wait for you to get back and fly him around, not just go barging in there alone."

"We only found out 'cos he went for a sword from Instructor Eagus." Fledge said.

Zelda huffed. She knew Link was adept with a sword, plus he could probably handle a few tiny monsters if he had to, but that wasn't the problem. Why would he never wait for her for these types of things? If one of those fluorescent jellies managed to grab him for long enough, there's a chance he wont be walking for a few months.

"I'll go sort him out," Zelda decided, boarding her Loftwing again, "thanks."

The two gave apologetic replies and stood back as her bird took off again. Leaves and dust were sent scattered into the air as she rose. Her first thought was to go to the cave entrance and follow Link down into its depths. She disregarded this idea as she had no weapon, and was never any good with one anyway. If she went into that place just to get gravely injured and need rescuing, she would just become another problem for Link to sort out. Instead, she decided to circle around the mountainous rock where the waterfall emanated from, looking for a possible exit.

After circling rock several times, she dived down underneath the island. From down here Skyloft was just a complex jumble of earth. Random inaccessible pathways spouted from various tunnels that wormed through the rock, making it hard to discern which pathway was the one she needed. Panic was eating away at Zelda now. That damn fool, she felt she might strangle him when she saw him. That dangerous thought was quickly overridden by relief as Zelda spotted a stupidly casual Link strolling out of one of the tunnels, wiping slime off of his borrowed sword.

"LINK!" Zelda shouted, "stay right there!"

Link jumped, face suddenly polluted with nerves. He knew she'd be angry. Zelda led the bird up to the ledge, landing and jumping off in one smooth motion. She drew up close to Link, who politely waved his slimy sword in greeting. The two were about four feet away from each other, with the waterfall that fell through the ground above plummeting downwards forever behind them. The soothing sound of falling water did much to quell Zelda's anger.

"I'm glad I managed to find you down here," Zelda said, "I heard from Pipit you'd gone into the monster cave alone. But never mind that for now… any sign of your Loftwing?"

"No… nothing," Link replied dejectedly, looking to the ground.

"Oh no…" with that, the last of Zelda's anger had fluttered away as quickly as it had formed. She clasped her hands in front of her chest, "Well, let's not lose hope yet. It could just be further up ah-"

Zelda froze solid. Her fingers clasped and dug into her hands as she stood with her mouth open. The ethereal voice was back in the air. Everything else had gone silent, she could no longer hear the water falling next to her. This time, since she was below the island, there was no doubt it came from beneath the clouds. Her name was being spoken so clearly, so desperately.

"Who's there?" she breathed, "Who's… calling for me?"

"What?" Link said, "Zelda, what's wrong?"

Zelda looked up at him. His face was full of true concern for her. His hand was outstretched to her shoulder, they were barely a foot apart now. His mouth kept moving but she couldn't make out the words. His care for her was heartwarming, but it also signaled something else.

He couldn't hear the voice. He just heard the splash of the running water and gusts of the breeze. The voice was only for her. It was too much. Was she losing her mind? Or was there something down there, beyond the barrier from where no-one has ever returned? Something that wanted her. Something that wanted to drag her down to the terrifying unknown, far from her life here. The life she loved so much…

She looked up at Link, "It's nothing…"

"Zelda… Look if you need rest, or something-" Link began.

"I just got distracted for a moment!" She added cheerfully, "What are you waiting for? We have to find that Loftwing as soon as we can!"

Link was incredibly skeptical of her cover, she could see that in his expression, but he didn't push it. He walked on ahead and beckoned for her to follow him. She gave a last look to the clouds below, who now seemed more like a curtain hiding some malicious beast, before chasing after Link.

She'd tell him later… after the ceremony. She could last until then.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Perfect Team

Chapter Four - The Perfect Team

The two friends delicately edged along the small path that hung over the bottomless cloud abyss. Sharp winds pounded against the cliff faces, threatening to uproot anyone who let themselves become careless. Zelda hugged the wall, stepping over the twisted brambles reaching out to trip her. There was always the safety net of the Loftwing, so she didn't feel especially scared, but there was also the possibility of hitting her head on the way down. She couldn't call for her bird if she was out cold.

Link led the way down the path, sword drawn and ready. These underside pathways could be infested with keese. These were small winged rodents with bulging yellow eyes, pointy ears and sharp claws. They were also unnecessarily territorial. Once disturbed it was likely the tiny beasts would swarm in a frantic flurry of ripping and biting, only stopping when their target was dead or had run far enough away that they lose interest.

Walking behind the sword wielding protector; Zelda found her mind clouded with anxiety, unable to fully concentrate on the mission. Her thoughts felt polluted by small voices that doubted and scrutinized what she knew to be real. Whilst the legends told of a surface, many of the people around her believed it was only a void or a terrible wasteland under the clouds. They just dismissed the legends as just old moral wisdom. Most of them probably didn't even truly believe in Hylia, or even in the three greater, older goddesses. Even though in her heart she felt differently, externally Zelda would often agree with her confident friends and elders. It _was_ hard to imagine there being an almost limitless expanse of earth, water and sand existing just out of view. It seemed like a fairy tale. But still… it was unmistakable where that voice came from.

"SQQUUAAAWKKK!"

The noise echoed from close ahead. The two were both snatched from whatever internal conflicts they were enthralled in and looked at each other in surprise. There was a pause of a few seconds before they bolted ahead. In the new rush of excitement, Link's foot was caught in a mischievous loop of bramble and was almost send sprawling off the edge of the island. Luckily for him; Zelda was close behind, grabbing his belt and steering his falling body to hit the ground face first.

"Link, watch where you're going! I really don't want to have to dive after you again!"

"Well think of it this way," Link said with a face full of dirt, "this makes up for the excitable shove you gave me this morning. One save for one attempted murder, now we're all even."

Zelda grimaced. She'd hoped catching him earlier in mid-plummet had made up for her slight misjudgment, but that was wishful thinking. He wasn't going to forget about that so easily. Link dragged himself to his feet, unaware of the mud that stained his forehead.

"We should get going," Zelda said, "just go slower, okay?"

Link gave a not-at-all reassuring thumbs up and continued forward, at the same speed. The squawking continued, acting as a beacon to the two. After they rounded the last bend of the path, they came face to face with the magnificent Loftwing. It was a heartbreaking sight.

Four thick, heavy wooden planks trapped the beautiful red bird into a cramped natural hole in the rock face. The hall was so small that the bird's beak and wings were pushed out in painful angles through the gaps in the cell. It's wings shook and rubbed fruitlessly against the bars, the angry bird looking like someone had trapped raging flame. The voice it shouted with was getting hoarse, croaky with constant calling. Its face was twisted so that it couldn't even see Link approach. Zelda's heart was punctured, seeing it in such distress. It also likely knew it's master had fallen earlier, calling for his trusted companion to catch him. Yet that call had gone unanswered. The master had continued to fall, betrayed.

As Link ran to his bird, Zelda could see how his eyes went wide and hands shook lightly. He clasped his birds beak, shushing its nerves. At first the bird struggled more, before realizing it's master had come to it's rescue. Then it was completely overcome with joy, chirping and cooing like a tiny robin. Link took his gaze from the bird and studied the planks that separated them, his sword arm slack my his side.

From where Zelda was she could see the planks were tightly bound with nails and rope at each end. She ran up behind Link, snatching the loosely gripped sword and taking it one end of the the highest. Link watched her with curiosity as she raised the sword against the inanimate wood. With a decisive strike, she jammed the sword into the sliver of space between the wood and stone; behind where the nails were hammered in. With all her strength and weight she pulled back on the hilt. A loud creaking sound came as the large masonry nails dragged along stone and the plank became liberated. She had to plant her feet on the vertical wall, cursing her lack of bicep muscles.

The plank suddenly broke free, sending Zelda in a sloppy backwards cartwheel onto the grass. Her momentary triumph felt only slightly diluted as she saw Link had also been pulling (and was likely the reason the plank came loose). He helped her off the ground laughing and they pried the planks out of the wall one by one.

When the final plank came free the Loftwing burst out, spreading its wings wide with glee. It immediately jumped off the edge into a glide, stretching sore and stiff wings. Link and Zelda watched the bird revel in freedom together, giddy expressions plastered on their faces. They were caught in the moment, such a pure spectacle of joy was hard to ignore. A quiet fell between them again. Usually silences with Link were comfortable, after all her generally wasn't a chatterbox, but now it felt strange.

"We should hurry, Link," Zelda said, breaking the silence, "Now that your Loftwing is free, we need to get you to the ceremony."

Link nodded happily, but paused upon seeing Zelda's change in mood. Worry sank into his eyes as they met hers. She knew she couldn't hide anything from him for long. Maybe, after all, it would be better to share some of her thoughts with him. She decided, like with Kukiel and the old legend, to dilute the true story slightly. If she took out the anxiety… and the fear... then he wouldn't be distracted from the ceremony, would he?

"Before you go, I have to ask you something," Zelda fought to keep her voice under control, "I-I heard this voice a few moments ago. Did you hear it too?"

"No… I didn't," Link replied, honestly.

"It's happened a few times recently," Zelda said. She turned to watch the Loftwing loop and sway freely in the air, "It's the strangest feeling… Almost like someone is calling out to me."

The expected plethora of questions she expected regarding such a claim never came. Link just stood there, listening. When she turned back to him there was no incredulous doubt, no muffled laughter. Just plain old Link, same as ever.

"Have you ever wondered what's beneath the clouds?" she suddenly asked, "Some say that it's an empty, barren place, or even that there's nothing at all down there but an empty void."

"You don't believe that, do you?" Link said softly, also watching his bird.

She smiled, "No… I have this feeling. Some of father's old texts talk about a place called the surface. Those old tales describe a whole world under there, far more vast that Skyloft. Just out of view. Thing is, no one's ever been down here to see it, and our Loftwings won't fly past the barrier."

She knew this for a fact, both herself and Link trying it several times when they were younger. The birds got extremely restless when touching the clouds, squawking loudly and beating their wings manically as if on fire. It was unfair to put the Loftwings under such stress, but nobody seemed to know why the birds couldn't fly through. Most people she asked simply didn't care and thought her a fool for wanting to know.

Zelda turned back to Link, "I still keep imagining the wild things that might be waiting below. Someday, I want to see for myself."

She surprised herself with that last line. Even with the possibility of terrible monsters, evil people and general great hardship… she knew she wanted to go there. More than that, she _needed _to go there. Fanciful images of her being the first person in Skyloft to break through the barrier alone, embarking on legendary journeys and performing amazing feats… they felt silly. But then again, she wouldn't be alone, would she? As if Link, the adventure craving knight-to-be, would let her go by herself. They could become the team of heroes who's marvelous stories rivaled those of Hylia herself. That thought made her giggle out loud, it felt as if a heavy weight on her back became a little lighter.

"Oh!" Zelda said, snapping free from her thoughts, "We don't have time to talk!"

Link furrowed his brow, "But you-"

"We have to get going! Quickly, get on your bird. We have to make sure it's in good enough shape to take part in the ceremony!" Zelda began pushing him to the edge. She would talk with Link more later, they had more pressing matters. Besides, the little she did get off her chest was enough.

Link uttered a few more words of complaint, but with Zelda's unwillingness to continue he gave in. He turned from her and dove, his whistle breaking the red Loftwing's spiral flying patterns. Bird and man met in mid air, followed by a delightful yelp from the bird. Zelda jumped after him, calling her own Loftwing and joining them in the sky.

They took off towards a group of aimlessly floating boulders, darting gracefully between them. They took a few minutes to take the bird through a series of quick training exercises, making sure it hadn't sustained any injuries in captivity. Zelda watched from atop her gently gliding mount, as the crimson Loftwing performed as dazzlingly as usual. It cut through the air like embers of a roaring bonfire, unpredictable in its movements. When everyone seemed satisfied, Zelda led them back to the main plaza on Skyloft, hoping they weren't too late for the race.

She left Link there to get ready, while she flew back to the academy. Her father would no doubt need to know the Loftwing was retrieved safe and sound. She sped low above the roof of the Bazaar, narrowly dodging the stretches of multicolored bunting that festively tied every lantern poll together. The town was buzzing with energy now. Even more merchants busied around, flogging and transporting a wide variety of goods. Several children were dragging their parents back away from their friends, afraid to miss any of the delayed ceremony they had likely been expecting to start at least an hour ago.

Her father was waiting outside the entrance to the academy, golden light dancing across his face from the sun's reflection of the magnificent school bell. He likely picked up on the excitement in his daughters expression as she hastily drew closer, as he wore a great smile himself.

"Father, father," Zelda shouted once in ear-shot, "We found Link's bird bound under the island, but it's okay now! We can start the ceremony! C'mon, c'mon we have to go now!"

"Oh-ho-ho," He father laughed as his waving hand was grabbed and pulled along, "Zelda, please, I can walk by myself! This is great news, I shall assemble the instructors and we shall start the ceremony immediately!"

"I'll meet you back at the plaza," Zelda shouted as she was already flying back, "we'll talk properly about what happened later!"

She flew, very quickly, back to the slowly filling plaza. As several figures on the plaza became closer, she noticed an annoyingly familiar sight. She dismounted the bird without letting it touch the ground, letting it's crystal blue form fade back into the crystal blue sky. It appeared that Link had gotten himself surrounded again. Surrounded by the same group of idiots. This time, however, Groose had his back turned to Link. He was striking what was meant to be a thoughtful pose, muttering to himself. Link was just standing behind him, flashing a confused look to Zelda as she drew along side him. Both Cawlin and Strich noticed Zelda's furious approach. Groose did not.

"It'll be our special moment alone," Groose mumbled, "nobody is stopping me and Zelda from having our moment… Oh, it's so real I can… I can see it… Uh-huh-huh-huh-huh"

Zelda's cheeks flushed hot red with an uncomfortable cocktail of embarrassment and fury. Cawlin and Strich tried to get their leader's attention, in a futile attempt to save him from further losing face. It was much too late for that.

"Care to explain just what you meant by our_ 'SPECIAL MOMENT ALONE'!?" _Zelda shouted, hands planted firmly on her hips. Her eyes were ablaze with irritation

"Gah!" Groose jumped and turned, "I… Uh, you know? I was just…"

He almost frantically looked around, before turning to Link, "Link! I was just telling my buddy here how glad I was he found that bird of his. Boy, am I looking forward to a good, clean race!"

Link continued to look baffled, "What was that just-"

"Anyhow, later Zelda," Groose interrupted, "Look for me during the ceremonial race. I'll be the one flawlessly pulling off the dangerous moves."

Groose then proudly walked away from them, cronies in tow. The way he walked suggested he'd easily come away from that encounter the victor, but the others were unsure.

When alone, Zelda said, "Did you hear that guy? A clean race? Like that's going to happen."

Link nodded in agreement. Zelda found herself unconsciously tugging on the sailcloth wrapped around her shoulders.

"Just don't let those fools get you down," She continued, "Just get out there and fly as best you can!"

She moved closer, the wind from behind sending her bound locks of hair grasping for him.

"I know you've got these guys beat, and deep down I think you do too," she added with a smile.

"So if I win," Link said with feigned curiosity, "The ceremony will finish just between us? Alone?"

"Come on Link!" Zelda laughed, pushing him, "Try to focus for once!"

A call came from behind them. The Instructor Horwell was announcing the start of the race. Zelda giddily wished Link good luck as he ran to join the other competitors. She watched him go, then joined some of the other classmates to watch the ceremony.

The wing ceremony was a tough competition. Four of the best prospective knights competed every year in a thrilling race against one another, to retrieve the golden Loftwing idol. Only the winner would become a fully fledged knight, everyone else would have to wait and hope they get the chance again. Most didn't. Due to the stakes of the race, most of Skyloft would be out watching the exciting race. Zelda could hear around her the townspeople chattering about who would win. Most of the voices claimed that either Link or Groose would come out victorious; other than Cawlin's mother, who put up a good case for her only son.

The riders took their places as the rules were explained to them. Link, Groose, Cawlin and Strich were lined up on one of the wider docks on the plaza, birds circling the area as if vultures eyeing prey. The count down was shouted and the crowd went quiet.

"Go!"

The four boys became four blurs as they dived for their Loftwings. What followed was an amazing, action-packed spectacle. It was also _extremely _one sided. Link and his bird of flame had something to prove. No amount of meddling or stress was going to cost him his dream. Even when Groose reduced himself to cheating, by throwing eggs and rocks at the powerhouse duo, it did nothing. Zelda was completely enamored, even enjoying the jealously that rose inside her for Link's skill. When he grasped the golden idol after a dizzying tailspin dive, the whole of Skyloft seemed to rupture with applause.

Without thinking, Zelda let the ecstasy of the moment carry her into a run to the edge. As Link took his victory lap around the Island, she jumped. Link came plunging down to catch her in his arms as she simply laughed uncontrollably.

Seeing Link's somewhat concerned face, she said, "Don't worry, I'm fine! That was some great flying, Congratulations!"

She withdrew from his arms sitting, facing him, at the front of the Loftwing. She gave the bird a congratulatory ruffle on the head too. Her own Loftwing followed closely behind them, seemingly annoyed to see it's master on another bird.

"We'd better get on with the rest of the ceremony!" Zelda exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

The sets of birds crossed each other in the air as they flew towards the stoic statue of the goddess, Hylia. The sounds of the plaza crowd drifted away, leaving only the sound of the wind being split by sprawling wings. Maybe her worries were all for naught. She wouldn't have to suffer the awkward experience of handing over the sailcloth she spend hours toiling over to Groose or the others. She could give it to who it was meant for.

Her best friend. The person she could always rely on. He always came through for her, and her for him. They would keep each other safe. They, after all, were a team. For the first time in a while, the mangled fingers of fear and darkness did not weigh her heart at all. The ethereal voices did not beckon her to leave her perfect life and be dragged into the unknown. All she could feel… was peace.

As the people rejoiced and celebrated, pieces were coming into place elsewhere. Deep under the clouds and unknown to these blissfully ignorant residents of Skyloft, something finally decided to make it's move.


	5. Chapter 5 - Destiny's Call

Chapter Five - Destiny's Call

The statue of the goddess that watched over Skyloft depicted her with her hands cupped, near to her chest. Her eyes were half lidded as she cast a sweet and caring gaze across the land of her people. Hair that almost resembled feathers flowed from atop her head, joining with the feathers of her heart shaped wings. Draped around her body was a heavy robe, which dropped over two hundred feet to the ground. She was the truest image of unmatched beauty, but also possessed the look of a watchful mother. Zelda didn't know who made the statue, she likely would never find out. Whoever it was, the painstaking details shown in such a colossal statue showed they must have been a master of their craft.

Zelda and Link stood on the platform made of the goddess's hands while their Loftwings danced in the blindingly clear sky above them. In her hands Zelda held the bird statuette that Link had won in the race tight to her chest. She was to offer it to the goddess during the her part of the ceremony. She had rehearsed these lines over and over, determined not go stutter or stumble. What she was about to do was extremely important, both to herself and to her homeland's culture. The weight of that importance weighed on her, but she didn't feel anxious. Not with Link standing behind her.

She stepped lightly towards the chest of the goddess, where the decorative carvings pointed towards a small hole. Placing the small statue in the gap, she closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. She stepped back and lifted the golden harp she had left there earlier. Following her practice runs, she plucked the delicate strings, sending echoes of a crisp, heavenly sound into the air. Things felt so much different conducting the ceremony for real, like she was connected to something. There was a power here, a real power, Zelda thought to herself. She was drawing it out by playing this harp, in these clothes, on this spot. She played the song she was taught, long ago by a woman she didn't remember, to its completion.

She then attached the harp to her belt, turning to face the knight in waiting. Regally, she extended her slender hand, which the knight took in his own. He knelt with his head facing the ground, awaiting her words. Zelda felt as if she was playing pretend. She had knighted Link many times in childhood during extravagant make-believe games of adventure. He would swear to protect both her and all of Skyloft, always, as so would she. When the two were alone and tired from running around and playing hero; she would make him promise that, when the time came, he'd win the ceremony and be knighted by her for real. Then the adventures would become real, too. Now it was happening. She knew how long he had dreamed of this.

"Great goddess," she said, "guiding light and protector of our people, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony. Valiant youth who grasped victory at the celebration of the bird folk, in accordance with the old ways…"

Zelda paused, as the deep seated power of the ceremony subtly coursed through her. It was not the type of power to crush your enemies with, or to conquer the world. It was a tranquil power, one that sought to guide and lift. It was not so much that it overcame her body, took hold of her, or even caused her to move. It wasn't intrusive, but it was there.

"I now bestow the blessings of the goddess upon you," she let go of Links hand, who kept his head bowed, and untied the sailcloth wrapped on her shoulders. She folded it, with the winged crest of Hylia facing upwards, and held it out.

Link looked up, the two again locking eyes.

"The blessings of the goddess drift down from the heavens aloft a sail, which I now pass on to you."

Link took the sail, hands brushing against Zelda's as he did. The power Zelda felt passed through her, onto him, as the sailcloth switched possession. He held it in both hands, studying the blue crest stitched into the light beige fabric. A serious look rarely seen on his face took root as he did this. He rose to his feet slowly. In a sudden swift movement that made Zelda jump, he thrust the cloth into the air above his head.

"I got the sailcloth!" he exclaimed with a goofy grin.

Zelda's immediate urge to smack him was diluted quickly when she realized she was giggling, "Quit goofing, this is _supposed_ to be a sacred ritual, remember!"

In the end she was glad for the levity, the ritual had actually felt quite taxing emotionally. She assumed Link had felt it too, he wasn't great with this type of thing himself. He still nodded apologetically to her, holding the sailcloth dearly in his arms.

"You know," Zelda said, after a small pause, "they say that the goddess gave the Sailcloth to her chosen hero long ago. Obviously that one isn't the same one, I've been working hard to finish making it in time to give it to today's champion," she paused, bringing a hand to her cheek, "I'm really glad I got to give it to you, Link. Make sure you take good care of it… okay?"

"Of course," Link smiled.

"And… thanks for making it up here to do this with me today," Zelda added. She really was. Having to go through this with someone else wouldn't feel the same.

"I told you I would," he said smiling, "I promised."

"Anyway, we really should finish up this ritual."

Zelda's statement wasn't met with the excitement she had expected, but rather a completely blank face. He actually doesn't remember how the ritual ends, does he? She sauntered over to Link, causing him to back away.

"You… do know what happens at the end, right?" she smiled.

"Yeah… I mean sort of…" Link said, eyes darting around looking for clues.

Link had backed up so that his ankles were flush with the two hundred feet drop. Yet Zelda still moved closer, until they were inches away. She pushed herself onto her toes so that they were eye to eye, Link still searching for an idea of what was going on. Zelda grabbed him firmly by his tan, sparsely decorated shirt. In an exaggerated ballet-esque move, she spun him around to face the drop.

"You have to jump off the grand goddess statue," Zelda said grandly, "and land perfectly in the exquisitely designed round platform below!"

Very far down below them, the two could see the gold and stone area in the center of the garden, where the two met that morning. The trees dotted around the platform looked like tiny green bugs surrounding a coin dropped on the grass. She heard Link audibly gulp.

"Don't worry," she laughed, "you just have to use the sailcloth and gently glide down to safety. I mean, it depends on how brave you are. If you were really fearless, you'd wait until the last second to use your sailcloth. So… you ready to jump?"

"Um…" Link began, before Zelda pushed him.

He let out a not-at-all dignified scream as he plummeted towards the ground. Zelda got a nasty sense of deja vu seeing him fall, again, by her hand. The crimson Loftwing broke from the graceful synchronized dance in the skies above, diving to assist its master. Luckily, its help was not needed. Dangerously close to the ground, Link managed to force wind into the sailcloth. It blew up atop his head, drastically slowing his fall. He landed quite comfortably dead center of the golden design on the ground, followed closely by his bird. Zelda had called her own Loftwing and descended on her own. She swooped down to Link, who was brushing his clothes and fixing his hair. As soon as they touched the ground she jumped off and ran to him. She was unable to contain her giddiness.

"That was perfect!" Zelda laughed, "You're amazing…"

She clasped her hands together in front of her, with her bird stood upright behind her. Link returned her words with a beaming smile, his own bird standing in mirror to hers. Realizing how genuinely she spoke those words caused a shiver of embarrassment down her spine, but it dissipated quickly. The sun felt hot on the back of her neck, even though the sun was starting to set. Soon the crystal blue of the sky would turn to a fiery orange, shading the whole land in a cozy glow. Skyloft would look beautiful from the air this evening.

"You know, Link, seeing as you won today…" she said, "and with the weather being so perfect... You think maybe you'd like to, you know, go fly around the clouds together?"

Link nodded. Before they knew it they were blasting through the tangerine clouds, moving in perfect sync between pillars of rock and vapor. The wind felt so relaxing on Zelda's face, running through her hair. They flew slowly, not in a rush, admiring the paradise they lived in. The anxiety she felt earlier was so far away. The strange images, the ghostly voices, they didn't seem to matter anymore.

However, there was still something. Something deep within her that refused to be forgotten or to fade away. Something that told her great things were to come. Great things that they face head on, together. It was almost like destiny. Her very being felt electrified by possibilities.

"Link?" she shouted over the wind, "Hey, Link!"

Snapped out of his own daydream, he turned.

"Today was amazing! Watching you win the race, performing the ritual together," Zelda shouted, "I'll always remember this."

"I know!" Link replied, "I will too!"

Zelda paused, she had so much pent up inside her. What was the point in keeping it from him now? The race was done, Link was a knight now. She no longer felt fear, she felt empowered. Gliding freely above their sacred home, when would there be a better moment?

"You know, Link," she said as she closed the distance between them, "there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about-"

The words never escaped her throat, as a horrifyingly bright white light blinded them both, detonating the sky in a cacophony of noise. Zelda shielded her eyes from the piercing column of hot light, as the Loftwings desperately swerved to avoid it. The heat was unbearable, her exposed skin felt as though it it was about to burn. As suddenly as it started, the sky was returned to a picturesque haven.

Zelda hesitated to open her eyes, tightly gripping the straps on her bird. Her vision was filled with floating spots from being forced to witness the explosion and her muscles felt terribly strained. There was also a loud ringing banging around between her ears, making her feel off balance. When her eyes opened the first thing she saw was Link looking at something ahead, shouting. The ringing drowned out the words he was speaking, but his face was twisted in fear. She followed his gaze, her jaw hanging open.

"W-what is THAT?" she screamed.

In place of the beam of light was a dark, raging tornado. They both pulled hard on their birds, trying to dodge it's destructive path. She wrapped her arms tightly around her mount, following Link in a terrifying loop to the right. Thinking they were in the clear, Zelda snuck a glance behind them. Unthinkably, the tornado had changed it course. The roar of the powerful winds grew louder, the twisting thing annoyed at their attempt to escape it.

"What's going on?" Zelda shouted over the noise, looking back up to Link.

He matched her gaze, mouth open to answer, but it was too late. The tornado had lashed out in a furious swipe, cutting through the evening sky like a sword. The mass of air collided with Zelda hard, ripping her from her seat. She was in free fall, watching as her bird was violently cast aside, its high pitched and frenzied squawks disappearing as it fell out of view. She tried to scream for Link but couldn't hear her own voice. The tornado sucked her into its depths, where light could no longer penetrate. As the light faded, her consciousness faded too. She fought to stay awake, fought to claw free of the tornado's grasp. It was no use.

She was swallowed by the clouds, her mind slipping away as the last of the light died. She entered the place she had only heard legends about, the place where her dreams of adventure lay. Those dreams meant nothing now, the person she cared for most was nowhere in sight.

She was completely alone.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Gift

Chapter Six - A Gift

Nothing.

Stretching on endlessly in all directions around her, Zelda was surrounded by nothing. There was no islands, no clouds, no sky… even the sun was missing from its permanent perch above. Zelda screamed, but there was no sound coming from her lips. She was the only thing in existence.

Time was hard to track, she could have been there for ten minutes or ten hours, this place didn't follow the rules set by the normal world. Zelda fought against a mind that was a mess of terrified thoughts, what had happened to Link and her Loftwing? Where they here too? Were they dead?

…was she dead?

Her mind was pulled from these dark thoughts by the emergence of a light. In this plain of infinite darkness, the pinprick of light was blinding. Zelda brought her arm up to her face, shielding her eyes as the shining light got closer. Peeking in-between shaking fingers, she could it was not just one light, but three. Each was a different dazzling color: emerald green, sapphire blue and a deep ruby red. They were the purest forms of each color, unlike anything Zelda had seen in the massive range of exotic carpets and paints available in the Skyloft Bazaar.

The colors danced in the limitless space above her, their trails leaving calming patterns behind them. Her eyes adjusted, Zelda felt her worries drifting away as she observed the strange display. Something was stirring within her. This all felt vaguely familiar, something she had secretly read from one of her fathers dusty old books, late at night surrounded by flickering candles. .

Suddenly, the red light broke free of the hypnotic dance and descended on her. Unable to run, Zelda stood frozen in the nothingness. As It grew closer, she could see the fiery object was, in fact, a gorgeous golden woman. As the woman flew over Zelda's head, the aura that surrounded her explosively expanded outwards, enveloping the entire area. Expecting to be burned, Zelda braced herself, shutting her eyes and gritting her teeth.

When the flames failed to burn her, she tentatively opened her eye again. The nothingness she was stood in had disappeared, replaced by rolling hills, shimmering lakes and luscious, thick forests. Unlike the land of Skyloft, these lands did not eventually drop off and turn to sky, but instead extended on to the horizon. The only clouds floated high above, and they were sparsely brushed against the deep blue sky, not packed together in an impenetrable wall. The other two lights began to descend, also revealing themselves to be astoundingly beautiful golden women.

This was the surface, Zelda realized. This was the place she had read about in legends. More than that, she had realized who the lights were. The golden goddesses. The ones who created the world. The red goddess who had just formed the world from the darkness was Din. The other two goddesses plunged down together, the blue being Nayru and the green being Farore. With them came the gifts of order and life to the new world, respectively.

Zelda was at a loss. Why was she here? Why was she watching this? As the world grew, moved and changed around her, she felt like an unwanted observer. This wasn't something a regular person should bear witness to, it was too grand, too important. Maybe she was here by accident, or even better, maybe it was a dream. She would wake up in a comfy hospital bed, with Link and her father next to her, both overcome with joy to see she was alright. Zelda smirked to herself, she didn't really believe that. Her heart told her she wouldn't be seeing home or those dear to her for a very long time, if ever.

The goddesses had finished their performance, and now floated eerily in the air in front of Zelda. The colored flames of light defied nature and hung in spectacular gowns upon their golden shoulders. They wore soft, almost plain, expressions. Each had long, flowing hair that billowed in the slow breeze, despite being made of what appeared to be solid metal. The intensity these beings radiated as they posed was overwhelming.

Each of them slowly extended their left arm towards the still motionless Zelda, sparkling hands dangling daintily. The wind slowed, then died away completely. The world became still again. At fingertips of each figure, small bubbles of liquid gold appeared. These bubbles drifted away from the goddesses, towards a spot equidistant from each of them. Here they joined together to make a flat shape that radiated almost as much strength as the goddesses themselves.

Tearing her eyes from the process, Zelda looked back at the faces of the goddesses. The serene expressions they held before now had shadows of pained ones. The difference was almost imperceptible, however taxing this whole situation was, they hid it well. The bizarre situation was beginning to loose its shocking effect of Zelda, the anxiety within coming back to the surface.

"W-why am I here?" she said in a voice not much more than a whisper, "Am I… um… have I died?"

She received no response from them. The shape they were forming together was not the infinitely complex configuration deserving of being constructed by a goddess, it was a set of triangles. Simple, bare, flat triangles. Zelda stared at them, confused. She knew these had to have some deeper meaning. Sure, the triangles often accompanied the illustrations in her fathers books, but she couldn't remember exactly what they meant.

Once the shape was that of three perfect conjoined triangles, the women lowered their arms and backed off. Looking to the sky, each of their auras burned furiously, like three raging bonfires. Before Zelda could say anything else, ask anything about this place or the golden thing they created, they took off into the sky. All that was left was the colorful trails that disappeared into the sky. Zelda was again alone, facing the strange object.

The power this thing exuded was unlike that of the goddesses, it was lesser, but more focused. Why had it been left with her? Each facet of it gave off a different unmistakable radiance. Each was as enticing as the next. The power to crush your enemies, the courage to stand up to any foe, and untold, unmatched wisdom. The last one caught her attention the most, beckoning the possibilities of what one could do with the knowledge of the divine.

Caught in a trance, she was unaware that the world around her was melting away, back into nothingness. All that remained was Zelda and the symbol, and soon the it began to fade as well.

"No…" Zelda muttered, "no, not again. Why did you show me this? Why would you create this thing and leave it with me?"

The symbol was now gone, the symbol she could not remember the name of. Yet the power it held remained around her. She could feel it echoing around her, but it wasn't hers. It wasn't for her, she wasn't ready.

"What do you want me to do?" she said, "Was it you calling to me? Was it you who took me from my home? My family?"

The only response Zelda received was silence, her consciousness again slipping from her grasp.


End file.
